How do I become an AuSSI School?

Australian Capital Territory

Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative - ACT (AuSSI-ACT)
Department of Territory and Municipal Services
Coordinator: Vanessa Whelan
Phone: (02) 6207 5812
Email: VanessaL.Whelan@act.gov.au
http://www.sustainableschools.act.gov.au/

AuSSI became available to ACT schools in 2007. The response has been overwhelmingly positive with over 65% of the 153 ACT schools registered.

AuSSI-ACT has made significant progress since it commenced. Major achievements include:

Production of an AuSSI Toolkit. The toolkit includes Educating for Sustainability through the ACT Curriculum - units of work (P-10), aligned to the ACT Curriculum Framework on water, waste, energy, biodiversity and climate change, and Your Operational Guide to Becoming a Sustainable School - best practice guides and audits for waste, water, energy and biodiversity. It includes strategies to embed sustainability into the curriculum;
Over ninety environmental audits conducted by the ACT Home Energy Advice Team (HEAT), Water Efficiency Team (ACT Territory and Municipal Services) and Waste Wise Schools Coordinator ;
Development of a database to record audit results;
Development of a website www.sustainableschools.act.gov.au;
Provision of professional development activities to over 400 teachers;
75% waste reduction and 28% electricity reduction in some schools;
Establishment of over fifty school environmental leadership teams;
Thirty School Environmental Management Plans (SEMPS) completed and in the process of implementation; and
Several schools have received grants and awards for their AuSSI projects.

The initiative supports the new ACT Climate Change Strategy - Weathering the Change. The strategy aims for all ACT schools to be carbon neutral by 2017. AuSSI-ACT is actively involved in assisting schools to achieve this goal.

The AuSSI-ACT model is recognised nationally as a model of 'best practice'. The ACT Sustainable Schools Coordinator is currently working with the Tasmanian Department of Education and Training to implement the ACT model. Norfolk Island has also expressed an interest in ACT AuSSI resources.

For more information contact:
Vanessa Whelan
Email: VanessaL.Whelan@act.gov.au

New South Wales

Sustainable Schools NSW
Department of Education and Training
Coordinator: Mark Caddey
Phone: (02) 9886 7710
Email: Mark.Caddey@det.nsw.edu.au
http://www.sustainableschools.nsw.edu.au/

Sustainable Schools NSW aims to support all schools, their partners and the community in realising a positive environmental vision. Sustainable Schools NSW is an initiative jointly managed by two NSW government agencies- the Department of Education and Training and the Department of Environment and Climate Change.

A central feature of Sustainable Schools NSW is the School Environment Management Plan or SEMP. This plan integrates environmental learning into all aspects of the school. It is an environmental education planning tool that supports the school in identifying issues and then developing learning, actions and processes top address them. It also support schools in achieving long term environmental and educational goals through short term actions. A good plan links the environmental objectives of the school to the local community and environment.

Through a School Environmental Management Plan, school communities in NSW can implement, review and celebrate sustainability education initiatives. The plan is described in the Environmental Education Policy for government schools and 'On Holy Ground' for the Catholic Education Sector.

Together with a range of other government, educational and community groups the Sustainable School Initiative is achieving a wide range of sustainability education objectives.

For more information contact:
Mark Caddey
Email: Mark.Caddey@det.nsw.edu.au

Or
Sue Burton
Email: Sue.Burton@environment.nsw.gov.au

Northern Territory

Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative - Northern Territory (AuSSI-NT)
Department of Employment, Education and Training
Coordinator: Louise Fogg
Phone: (08) 8999 3712
Email: Louise.Fogg@nt.gov.au
http://www.deet.nt.gov.au/education/programs_initiatives/environmental_education/

The AuSSI model connects program/resource providers into a whole school planning framework for education for sustainable development in the Northern Territory.

The Northern Territory Department of Employment Education and Training (DEET) is developing and delivering AuSSI-NT with the support of other key stakeholders from government and non-government sectors including the Department of Planning and Infrastructure (DPI) - Building Sustainability Services, COOLMob, Keep Australia Beautiful, the Department of Natural Resources Environment and The Arts, Aboriginal Ranger Groups, Tropical Savannas CRC, Arid Lands Environment Centre and Charles Darwin University. Catholic, Independent and government schools across the NT all have the opportunity to commit to AuSSI and access support.

AuSSI NT

Supports school communities to focus not only on ecological sustainability (adopting behaviours that reduce the school community's impact on the environment) but also the social/cultural and economic aspects of sustainability
Encourages whole community involvement.

AuSSI- NT is an opportunity for schools to:

Reflect on what they are already doing and build on their existing culture, priorities and values to create their own vision of sustainability in accordance with their local, context, needs and interests. Key questions for school communities include
- How can we be a more sustainable school community?
- How can we incorporate sustainability into our school curriculum?
Include environmental action and sustainable practices in all areas of learning, decision-making and school management
Increase student engagement and improve student learning
Enhance/develop local networks to support school initiatives

What does becoming a Sustainable School require?

A whole school commitment that is supported by school based facilitators, provided by the Department of Employment, Education and Training. These facilitators take on leadership roles to foster a collaborative learning community that creates the capacity to change from within and to improve educational practice. This process of continuous improvement uses an action-learning model.
Development of an action plan, implementing and monitoring it focusing on the key areas of
- teaching and learning - focusing on EsseNTial Learnings, Studies of Society and Environment, Science, and the cross curricula perspectives of Literacy, Numeracy, Learning Technology, Indigenous and Environment as well as Indigenous Languages and Culture where it is appropriate, and appropriate pedagogies
- school curriculum - integrating own cultural content using the lens of sustainability into the school curriculum
- working with the community
- managing the school community's resources - such as energy, water, waste, biodiversity

What support is provided for schools?

Environmental and Sustainability Education Officers and other Education Officers from Teaching, Learning & Standards will support schools to focus on sustainability by

Providing ongoing support for facilitators through e-space and Professional Learning opportunities.
Assisting teachers with programming and planning so students can achieve outcomes and teachers can develop and share models of best practice
Assisting schools with their journey in planning for and implementing a whole school approach
Strengthening/establishing links with organisations that can support school communities on their journey to becoming more sustainable.

For more information contact:
Louise Fogg Email: Louise.Fogg@nt.gov.au

Queensland

Queensland Environmentally Sustainable Schools Initiative (QESSI)
Department of Education, Training and the Arts
Coordinator: Cam MacKenzie
Phone: (07) 3237 0405
Email: cam.mackenzie@deta.qld.gov.au
http://education.qld.gov.au/schools/environment/outdoor/qessi.html

Queensland Environmentally Sustainable Schools Initiative (QESSI) is a joint initiative of the Australian and Queensland Governments through the Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative (AuSSI) with the aim of encouraging all Queensland schools to become environmentally sustainable.

The Ministerial Advisory Committee for Educational Renewal (MACER) report on Education for Sustainable Futures: Schooling for the Smart State (2006) highlighted the role of the QESSI concept in supporting schools on their sustainability journey. A large group of partners/stakeholders in the QESSI Alliance are currently supporting schools to work towards environmental sustainability within their schools and local communities by providing opportunities for students to contribute to a more sustainable future.

QESSI helps to bring all of these existing approaches under one umbrella to provide a holistic approach to whole of school environmental education for sustainability with measurable sustainability outcomes; social, environmental, economic and educational.

The QESSI Alliance Strategic plan uses a holistic approach, incorporating not only programs/activities that are currently in place in school communities but also including management aspects, the building of partnerships, improving the capacity of all involved and implementing and supporting new projects/activities.

Eight QESSI goals define how this plan will work. They are:

Encouraging schools as learning organisations for sustainability: schools are designed and used in action learning processes, partnerships are formed, and schools embrace approaches to support environmental education for sustainability.
Promoting dynamic curricula process and extra-curricula activities: school curriculum frameworks, as well as school and community activities and projects, promote education for sustainability, and reflect real-life learning.
Empowering ourselves and others to make the necessary changes: actions and programs are initiated that support attitudinal and behavioural change, including identifying role models, mentors and champions, and acknowledging innovation and leadership.
Encouraging and supporting skilled, committed and aware school staff: professional support and training related to sustainability is provided to classroom teachers, administrators and other staff, and is built into teacher training at university.
Creating school facilities that demonstrate and support sustainability: new schools and facilities are constructed, and existing schools are retro-fitted, based on ecological sustainable development (ESD) principles, including school grounds, and operating regimes e.g. water, energy, waste.
Implementing sustainable management systems in schools: school environmental management plan (SEMP) is created for each participating school, including a reporting and review process, with support for key staff who is involved.
Improving school resource management, including water, waste, energy, transport and schools grounds: schools are focused on reducing their ecological footprint in terms of key resource use, transport options, and improving school grounds, where possible, for biodiversity.
Encouraging interlinked school and local community partnerships: productive sustainability-based partnerships between schools and their communities are established, including learning opportunities related to sustainability programs and projects.

QESSI strives to develop and support programs and actions in schools related to our interlinked goals in the following key outcome areas:

Environmental - related to energy, water, biodiversity, resource use and waste.
Social/cultural - related to sense of place, community, equity, culture and well-being.
Economic - related to prosperity, meaningful work and careers, products and services.
Governance - related to ethics, stewardship, accountability, local autonomy, and participation.
Self and schools - related to empowerment, creativity, respect, skills and awareness.

What support is available to schools/communities?

Regional QESSI 'Hubs' have been established to assist schools state-wide through the QESSI Alliance Strategic Plan. The current list of hubs is listed below.

Far North Queensland - Holloways Beach Environmental Education Centre (EEC)
Central Queensland - Keppel Coast - North Keppel Island EEC
Central Queensland - Gladstone - Boyne Island EEC
Wide Bay Burnett - Barambah EEC
Sunshine Coast - Maroochy Catchment Centre
Brisbane North - Bunyaville EEC and Nudgee Beach EEC
Brisbane Central - Affiliate Hub - Brisbane Urban EEC
Brisbane Gateway Learning Community - Bulimba State School
Brisbane South - Toohey Forest EEC
Brisbane Bayside - Moreton Bay EEC
Gold Coast South - Numinbah Valley EEC
Darling Downs - Queensland Murray Darling Committee Inc. plus Amaroo EEC

The Hubs act as 'One-Stop-Shops' to support schools in their actions to become environmentally sustainable. They include existing Environmental Education Centres, a primary schools and community based catchment centres and natural resources management centre.

Each QESSI Regional Hub has developed a Regional Action Plan for Sustainability (RAPS) in consultation with existing service providers in their region and a local cluster of interested schools. Through these RAPS, the QESSI Regional Hubs provide assistance for a cluster of schools that want to progress towards a more environmentally sustainable future. These Plans are forwarded annually to the QESSI Steering Committee to coordinate and link support to schools. The Regional Action Plans for Sustainability, which include Regional Investment Strategies that support the QESSI Strategic Action Plan, identify local and regional partnerships that can assist in delivering sustainability related services and products for schools in their regions. There are annual 'State of the Environment' Reports that 'tell the story' of the actions and outcomes that all the schools and hubs have achieved.

The QESSI Hubs support a cluster of schools through a variety of strategies that are regionally contextual. This enables the QESSI concept to be relevant to a particular region and not be prescriptive in the implementation.

For more information:
Cam Mackenzie
Email: cam.mackenzie@deta.qld.gov.au
See: http://education.qld.gov.au/schools/environment/outdoor/qessi.html

South Australia

Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative - SA (AuSSI-SA)
Department of Education and Children's Services
Coordinator: Jonathon Noble
Phone: (08) 8226 0049
Email: noble.jonathan@saugov.sa.gov.au
http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/efs/

AuSSI-SA is a joint initiative of the Department of Education and Children's Services (DECS), the Department for Environment and Heritage (DEH), the Australian Government (Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts) and the South Australian Natural Resource Management Boards. The aim is to support more sustainable communities by encouraging schools (from all sectors) to incorporate Education for Sustainability (EfS) into their learning and management practices.

AuSSI-SA also includes preschools and childcare centres in the word 'schools'. AuSSI-SA has recognised the importance and enormous contribution to be made by preschool children in education for sustainability.

Partnerships

AuSSI-SA supports community partners such as the Natural Resource Management Boards, Wipe Out Waste, Waterwatch, Catchment Care, MurrayCare, One Million Trees, Air Watch and others interested in incorporating EfS into their work with schools.

The AuSSI-SA working partnership develops:

a common language for discussing EfS
a consistent approach to EfS for schools
a whole-school approach to EfS
clear directions and indicators for learning and change
a means of engaging with, and communicating improvements to the broader community
planning, evaluation, monitoring and decision-making tools to promote continuous improvement.

AuSSI-SA, Education for Sustainability - A guide to becoming a sustainable school

The AuSSI-SA, Education for Sustainability - A guide to becoming a sustainable school document and web site provide guidance, support and direction for each school to explore EfS and to determine their own sustainable future visions and directions. The AuSSI-SA model also has supporting rubrics for each of the elements. These resources have been developed and trialled with schools.

Tackling Climate Change

AuSSI-SA is developing learning and action strategies for schools to tackle climate change through the development of an education resource with the working title of Sustainable and Attainable. Sustainable and Attainable is an education and school management process that addresses climate change by building sustainability through attainable steps. It supports the whole school community to develop skills and capacities to appreciate, manage, improve and communicate the environmental performance of their school. It will be available for free to all schools in South Australia in Term 3, 2008.

An AuSSI-SA school

has registered to be an AuSSI-SA school including as many people as possible (ie students, staff, parents, and community) in the process
has reviewed their school using the AuSSI-SA model and rubrics
establishes or continues with plans to improve sustainability based on the AuSSI-SA model and rubrics
commits to the values of AuSSI-SA schools as outlined in the EfS Guide
is continuously trying to reduce its ecological footprint
is committed to learning about sustainability (ie social, cultural, environmental, economic)
shares with other AuSSI-SA schools and contributes stories to the AuSSI-SA website
provides feedback on their progress to AuSSI-SA once a year.

School and community outcomes of AuSSI-SA include:

improved environmental outcomes (water, energy, biodiversity, waste, transport, procurement and others)
improved educational outcomes related to sustainability
increased community capacity to tackle climate change.

Tasmania

Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative - Tasmania (AuSSI-TAS)
Department of Education
Coordinator: Jenny Dudgeon
Phone: (03) 6228 0311
Email: jenny.dudgeon@education.tas.gov.au

In Tasmania, AuSSI-Tas is being piloted in Tasmanian schools. The pilot has initiated opportunities to make efficiencies in schools' management of resources (e.g. energy, waste, water, products and materials), the management of the school grounds, encouraging links and lasting partnerships with the wider school community and integrating these approaches into curriculum and the daily running of the schools.

The twelve schools received intensive support and trialled a model that other schools could follow. The long-term vision is for all Tasmanian schools and their communities to be sustainable, with students having the opportunity to learn and achieve the highest outcomes in a personalised learning program drawn from the areas of the Tasmanian Curriculum. Through all curriculum areas, students learn to:

reason, ask questions, make decisions and solve problems
communicate, create and convey ideas effectively and confidently
develop a positive vision for themselves and their future
participate responsibly in the community and
understand and apply important concepts, knowledge and skills.

The learning that has been occurring under the pilot of the Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative has been effective in allowing students from all year groups to progress towards this vision.

Participating schools are on a journey to achieving this, they are working towards this goal, not just teaching students about sustainability concepts, but, rather, embodying sustainability principles and practices in their day to day activities.

In Tasmania, the Department of Education (DoE) is developing and delivering AuSSI-Tas outcomes in collaboration with the Catholic Education Office, Association of Independent Schools of Tasmania (Inc), the Department of Environment, Parks, Heritage and the Arts (DEPHA) and a significant range of other key stakeholders, from government and non-government sectors

AuSSI-Tas, through its part-time Project Officer, PEO Science and Managers Curriculum (DoE) and Environment (DEPHA), is exploring sustainable ways of schools working together with strategic partners such as Sustainable Living Tasmania, Southern Waste Strategy Authority, Landcare, Greening Australia, Transend, Natural Resource Management, local councils and Green Corp.

As part of its whole school approach, AuSSI-Tas has as one of its outcomes developing a scope and sequence around sustainability education as part of the refined Tasmanian Curriculum Framework being implemented from 2008.

The AuSSI-Tas pilot project has lifted the profile of sustainability education onto the Department of Education's agenda and has resulted in sustainable projects across other units such as facilities assisting schools to make significant savings on energy with part of these savings being channelled back into the school.

AuSSI-Tas partner Southern Waste Strategy Authority is trialing the ResouRce Rite program in seven pilot schools. AuSSI -Tas has provided the impetus for Transend to initiate community school links by partnering with Greening Australia to provide skills, expertise and mentoring for local school students around their understanding of biodiversity. The Derwent Estuary Program will involve local schools in improving stormwater runoff impacts on the Derwent River.

AuSSI-Tas is developing its profile particularly in school communities through the AuSSI PO meeting with many school communities across Tasmania. The Department of Education on June the 16th will launch the new sustainability section of The Tasmanian Curriculum website.

A website design workshop hosted by DEPHA will look at creating a stand alone AuSSI -Tas website supported by DEPHA that can be accessed across departments. AuSSI-Tas case studies are also being highlighted through non-government agency websites such as Sustainable Living Tasmania's www.UP2me.com.au

For more information contact:
AuSSI Tas Project Officer
Jenny Dudgeon
Email: jenny.dudgeon@education.tas.gov.au

Or Principal Education Officer for Science
Denise Devitt
Email: Denise.devitt@education.tas.gov.au

Victoria

Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative, Victoria (AuSSI, Vic)
CERES Community Environment Park
Coordinator: Eric Bottomley
Phone: (03) 9380 1556
Email: rssaussi@ceres.org.au
http://sustainability.ceres.org.au/

OR
Julie Harris
Sustainability Victoria
Email: Julie.Harris@sustainability.vic.gov.au
http://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au

Introduction

In 2007, the Sustainability in Schools State Steering Committee was established to provide strategic direction to the delivery of EfS resources and programs into all Victorian schools. The framework that supports EfS in Victorian schools is AuSSI Vic.

Sustainability Victoria (SV) coordinates the delivery of Education for Sustainability (EfS) in Victorian schools through the Sustainability in Schools State Steering Committee in conjunction with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD), the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE), the Victorian Association of Environmental Education (VAEE) and representatives of a wide range of other government agencies, non-government organisations and education providers.

Background

The Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative (AuSSI) was first piloted in Victoria in 2002 as the Sustainable Schools Program by CERES and the Gould League with the support of the Australian Government Department of Environment and Heritage (DEH) and Victorian Department of Education and Training (DE&T). Simultaneously, the program was piloted in NSW. The Victorian program has continued since then with delivery being undertaken by CERES. There are currently approximately over 300 schools actively involved in AuSSI Vic, with 43 of those schools acknowledged as leaders in the development of whole school programs.

The Sustainable Schools Pilot Programs underwent extensive evaluation and consultation processes in 2006 resulting in the development of the current framework of the Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative, Victoria (AuSSI Vic). AuSSI Vic aligns with the national AuSSI framework and the National Environmental Education and the Victorian Sustainability Action Statement: 13.11 Sustainable Schools.

The AuSSI Vic story in 2008.

In 2008 Sustainability Victoria will lead the work initiated by DEECD and manage the delivery of several elements of the AuSSI Vic roll-out strategy in the core and waste modules, and community training to support AuSSI Vic facilitation. DEECD will continue to support schools with professional learning materials, programs and guidelines.

The AuSSI Vic rollout strategy for 2008 is outlined below highlighting particular areas of responsibility for DEECD and Sustainability Victoria:

DEECD provides:

Schools ongoing implementation at the local level - core module (developing a strategy and action plan) and the four resource modules (water, waste, energy and biodiversity)
for all schools an online resource of Educating for a Sustainable Future (efs Guide) which guides schools through the core and resource modules
for all schools an online resource of Schools checklists which they can use to gather information on their progress and it to develop their school Plan (School's four year strategy)
development and management of a new Environmental Sustainability website within the DEECD to support all AuSSI Vic resources and initiatives
development and delivery of a DEECD accredited facilitator training program in AuSSI Vic for all agencies that support schools. DEECD has developed the resource (with help from DEWH) and held a pilot program with the Victorian Environmental Education Association (VAEE) in 2007 to inform the roll-out by SV in 2008-10.
Development and delivery of a pre-service teacher training program. DEECD has trialled the program with Australian Cathoilc University and will explore recommendations from that trial to influence all teacher training institiutions to include AusSSI Vic in their programs

Additional Support for AuSSI Vic

The DEECD is also developing for availability to all schools online in 2008 the Administrative Guidelines - Education for a Sustainable Environment, which provides practical advice to schools on taking a whole school approach to sustainability, promotes AuSSI Vic as a framework for schools to manage infrastructure, daily operations and learning and teaching practices.

Sustainability Victoria, under the Resource Smart Schools banner, is providing:

the facilitation of 60 new schools each year for the next three years to complete the AuSSI Vic core module. This facilitation and delivery is being delivered by a consortium of agencies led by CERES and the VAEE and includes the Catholic Education Office (Sandhurst Diocese), Carbonetix, Planet Savers Australia, the RMIT School of Global Studies, Social Science and Planning and the the National Centre for Sustainability, Environmental Design and Land Management at Swinburne University.
the development and implementation of the ResourceSmart 5 star certification system, aligned with schools implementation of AuSSI Vic core and resource modules and intended for use across state and local governments, venues, businesses and schools across Victoria.
a professional learning program that is designed for educators working across sustainability areas including energy, waste, water and biodiversity and will support Victorian schools on their own sustainability journey with a much more consistent framework. A trial of this training package was delivered in 2007 supported by DEECD, DSE and Sustainability Victoria. The package is now being refined for accreditation under the Australian Quality Training Framework to ensure a high quality course of national reach, an improved quality of facilitators in sustainability, and a course that can reach a much larger audience, thus helping to meet the ever-increasing demand for EfS service providers. The program is being delivered by the Victorian Association of Environmental Education and is supported by the National Centre for Sustainability - Swinburne University, Victoria University, the Australian Catholic University and CERES.
Facilitation and delivery of ResourceSmart Schools- Waste which provides a new delivery model that builds on and replaces Waste Wise in Schools. The expanded ResourceSmart Schools - Waste program will integrate thoroughly with AuSSI Vic to ensure that whole school communities join in the sustainability journey. CERES is managing the delivery of this program during 2008 in partnership with the Catholic Education Office, Carbonetix, RMIT Centre for Design and School of Global Studies, Social Science and Planning, Conservation Volunteers Australia and Live and Learn.

For more information on the rollout of AuSSI Vic facilitation and local support contact: CERES Community Environment Park - Email: rssaussi@ceres.org.au

For more information on statewide strategies for AuSSI Vic contact: SV - Email: schools@sustainability.vic.gov.au

For more information on teacher professional development for AuSSI Vic and education for a sustainable environment contact DEECD - Email: remenyi.conrad.c@edumail.vic.gov.au

Western Australia

Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative - WA
Coordinator: Howard Flinders
Phone: (08) 9264 4776
Email: Howard.Flinders@det.wa.edu.au
http://www.sustainableschools.wa.edu.au/

Western Australia joined AuSSI in 2005 in a pilot program that brought together 20 diverse school communities and a broad range of key stakeholders.

AuSSI-WA was intended to fundamentally support a whole-school planning process linked to existing programs and resources (of which WA has many including e.g. Waste Wise, Waterwise, Millennium Kids, Solar Schools and EcoEducation), and the use of sustainability as a key context for teaching and action-based learning (i.e. not an 'add on').

In that first year, a pilot program examined the following six key questions:

What is sustainability?
Why the imperative to act?
What might a 'sustainable school' look like? (B)
What does our school currently look like? (A)
What support exists for schools?
How to create a pathway from A to B?

Throughout the pilot program, the following key concepts / themes were identified as fundamental to AuSSI-WA:

Sustainability - it's everybody's business (i.e. not just the domain of e.g. 'greenies' or conservationists, nor (more specifically) the domain of individual teachers only)
Living more with less (i.e. challenging the dominant paradigm of consumption / Gross Domestic Product being the key indicator of social wellbeing)
We can all make a difference (change will ultimately come from individuals questioning and changing their individual behaviours)
Critical inquiry is paramount (i.e. we cannot begin to tackle today's (and future) problems unless we critically analyse our current actions and behaviours for better outcomes)
Schools must act as 'community hubs' of learning for sustainability (providing necessary leadership to promote broader social change)

Pilot program responses to the six key questions (outlined above) were used to frame the WA Model (AuSSI-WA), and the professional learning experience for teachers ('Making the Connections') that underpins this.

One of the most significant features of AuSSI-WA is its broad, interconnected definition of sustainability, which in turn is integral to the 'look and feel' of a 'sustainable school' in WA.

Participants in the pilot program, specifically teachers and principals, argued that social sustainability should rank very highly in terms of the defining features of a 'sustainable school'.

Without a fundamental understanding of, and respect for, self and others within a school community, the broader transference to an understanding of, and respect for, the natural environment was deemed to be a 'very long bow'.

Consequently, AuSSI-WA positions student wellbeing right at the heart of its Sustainable School Initiative, interconnected to social and cultural diversity, indigenous culture and community partnerships. These social sustainability 'action-learning areas' are in turn interconnected with environmental sustainability ones such as air, water, energy, waste and biodiversity to create part of the picture of what a sustainable school community might look like. The AuSSI-WA website, www.sustainableschools.wa.edu.au, reflects this 'picture'.

Each interconnected action learning area per the website features schools' case studies. In addition to the case studies, the website features details on professional learning, funding opportunities, participating schools and, in due course, will also feature all other support tools including key assessment, planning and evaluation templates.

For AuSSI-WA, the picture of a 'sustainable school' is completed by reference to a number of 'key elements' that reflect a school's underlying organisation and processes, including school governance, policy, visioning and student voice and engagement.

Due focus and attention to these elements will fundamentally support the development of a truly whole-school approach to Education for Sustainability (EfS) with every staff member and student playing their part in working for a sustainable future, in partnership with parents and other members of the school community.

AuSSI-WA, therefore, looks to support schools to both reduce their respective 'ecological footprint', but also to increase their respective 'social handprint' - a complementary process that underpins EfS within the AuSSI-WA framework.

Over 100 schools have now participated in 'Making the Connections', an experience that connects / re-connects participants to the natural environment (critical to supporting its value), and provides tools and processes to assist schools in embracing EfS linked to the 6 key questions (outlined above).

Very significantly, sustainability has been integrated into the new Syllabus materials developed by the WA Department of Education and Training, and AuSSI-WA is specifically referenced within the 'Active Citizenship' component of the SOSE Learning Area.

Every school in WA is at some point on the pathway to becoming a 'sustainable school'. AuSSI-WA provides an ideal means by which schools can contextualise their existing EfS activity, and grow it accordingly.

For more information contact:
Howard Flinders
Email: Howard.Flinders@det.wa.edu.au

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